Mines (Orange County): Arsenopyrite & Leucopyrite Rockhounding in Orange County, New York

Plan your visit

Generally open to casual rockhounding

County

Orange County

State

New York

Nearest road

Little York Road

Postcode

10990

Coordinates

41.29887, -74.42270

Coordinates are approximate. Confirm the exact ground in the RockHoundR app, where land overlays show which agency manages the area.

Land & collecting status

Generally open to casual rockhounding

Most public-tagged spots sit on BLM, U.S. Forest Service, or other federal land where reasonable hand collecting of common rocks and minerals is allowed. Confirm posted rules and active mining claims before you dig.

Public-land rules vary by agency, season, and field office. The RockHoundR app pulls live BLM, USFS, NPS, and tribal overlays so you can see exactly which agency manages the ground at this spot.

Best time to visit Mines (Orange County)

Comfortable months (45 to 90°F highs)

Best months: March to November. Typical highs run 83°F in midsummer and 35°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 19°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, MIDDLETOWN 2 NW station (11 mi away), adjusted for elevation.

Geology at Mines (Orange County)

This spot sits on Calcitic and dolomitic marble, mapped as marble that formed roughly 1600 to 1000 million years ago. Metamorphic terrain like this commonly hosts vein and replacement mineralization, and old workings typically mark the productive zones.

Mapped unit

Calcitic and dolomitic marble

Age

1600–1000 Ma (Mesoproterozoic)

Rock types

marble

Elevation

490 ft

Geologic mapping via Macrostrat and the underlying state geological survey maps (CC BY 4.0). Bedrock at the surface can vary within a mapped unit.

Sources & verification

Spot details combine the public RockHoundR location dataset, normalized mineral labels, agency land-status checks in the app, and community submissions. Coordinates are approximate until verified in the field.

• New York State Museum, Geological Survey
• NYS DEC land use rules
• Herkimer Diamond Mines
• Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules